The Walking Dead: What Is Terminus, Really?

Sunday

Mar 30, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 30, 2014 at 10:11 PM

[Warning: The following story contains major spoilers from Sunday's season finale ofThe Walking Dead. Read at your own risk!]Once again, Rick Grimes and his weary group of travelers learned the hard way that there are no safe havens in the ...

TV Guide

[Warning: The following story contains major spoilers from Sunday's season finale of The Walking Dead. Read at your own risk!]

Once again, Rick Grimes and his weary group of travelers learned the hard way that there are no safe havens in the world of The Walking Dead.

During the season finale, Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Carl (Chandler Riggs) inched closer to what they hoped was safety at Terminus. Unfortunately, the Claimers caught up to them first, and were determined to make Rick pay for killing one of their own. When Daryl (Norman Reedus) pleaded with his new pal Joe (Jeff Kober) to let the group go, Daryl was then beaten within an inch of his life. With the Claimers determined to rape and kill Carl and Michonne before giving Rick his due, Rick snapped, killing Joe by ripping out a chunk of his neck with his teeth and then gutting him.

Did The Walking Dead go too far?

The next day, the group - now including Daryl - set out for Terminus. Carl tells Michonne he's worried that he's not the man his father thinks he is, but rather that he is also becoming a monster. But considering what Terminus turns out to be, Carl should perhaps be happy about his transformation.

After hiding their guns just outside the perimeter, the group sneaks in the back and meets Terminus leader Gareth (Andrew J. West), who kindly pats them down and says they shouldn't be stupid enough to try anything while in Terminus. But that, of course, doesn't last long, especially after Rick realizes that members of Terminus have some items that belong to his former group members from before the fall of the prison.

Rick quickly takes a man hostage and is surrounded by guns. But when Rick & Co. try to run for it, no one shoots them. Instead, they shoot at their feet, leading them through a maze of different buildings (including a weird tribute room with candles everywhere) until they end up trapped near a train car, which Gareth forces them to get into.

But they're not alone. The group is finally (and unfortunately) reunited with Glenn (Steven Yeun), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.), as well as Tara (Alanna Masterson), Abraham (Michael Cudlitz), Eugene (Josh McDermitt) and Rosita (Christian Serratos). More determined than ever, Rick points out that Gareth and the other residents of Terminus will feel pretty stupid when they find out they're screwing with the wrong people.

But who are the people of Terminus, really? It's unclear at this point, but a certain comic book story line could be an indicator. Earlier this season, we suspected the Claimers to be The Hunters, a group of hostile survivors-turned-cannibals. But what if the group from Terminus is actually The Hunters, possibly even a younger version of the antagonists who consume other survivors, promising safety just to bring fresh meat within their walls? After all, The Walking Dead loves putting a new twist on comic book stories.

If not the cannibals, who do you think the people of Terminus are? Check back Monday morning for our interview with executive producers Robert Kirkman and Scott Gimple to get some insight.

The Walking Dead will return for its fifth season in the fall.

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